I love how the media grades teams based on how they picked players that the media ranked in the first place. It just shows how much of the evaluating process the media really doesn't know.

May 2nd, 2012, 6:23 pm

Dlions101

Water Boy

Joined: March 23rd, 2012, 9:51 amPosts: 5

Re: Biggest losers of the 2012 NFL Draft

I don't think it's grading teams, but more like giving an opinion based on the picks. The video is not for everyone to agree with. Opinions are opinions!

May 3rd, 2012, 2:30 pm

njroar

Player of the Year - Offense

Joined: September 25th, 2007, 3:20 amPosts: 2841

Re: Biggest losers of the 2012 NFL Draft

I know its opinion. And what drives me crazy this time of year is that the media ranks the players according to their view. Then when teams draft, they grade those teams based on how they picked their ranked players. If you want to grade a team's draft, hold off until January when you they've had a chance to step on to the field. The team grades are arbritrary and really only grade how well the media matched the teams. Why aren't we grading draft experts? Or is it hard to be labeled an expert if you had consistent F grades year after year?

I agree that grading a draft immediately after it is complete is stupid. Case in point: Most of Millen's drafts got good grades initially. For example, Mel Kiper (great example of a media blowhard) gave the following grades/comments:

2001: Overall Grade of B-2002: He had this to say about Harrington: "Harrington is the third highest player on my draft board and deserved to go in this area. Playing in Mike Bellotti's offense at Oregon, Harrington is a great fit for Mornhinweg's West Coast scheme. Harrington, who has a Brett Favre-like flair for the dramatic, was a highly productive quarterback and one I had rated only slightly behind Carr. But he outperformed Carr at the NFL scouting combine, showing tremendous touch and accuracy on deep balls and more than adequate arm strength."2003: B "Charles Rogers and Boss Bailey certainly fill immediate needs for the Lions, and if they can get Cory Redding up to 290 pounds he can be moved to defensive tackle. Artose Pinner could turn out to be a nice pick if he can recover fully from the ankle injury he suffered at the Senior Bowl, I like Terrence Holt because of what he can do on special teams, and they keep David Kircus close to home."2004: A "Roy Williams is a great pick as a complement to Charles Rogers at wide receiver, and the Lions upgraded one of the worst running games in the league with a dynamic performer in Kevin Jones. Teddy Lehman is a solid linebacker if he is protected by the defensive line and is productive, while Keith Smith was a great pickup in the third round and Alex Lewis will be a tremendous contributor on special teams. Kelly Butler was also a good value along the offensive line."2005: C+ (this is probably his most accurate assessment to date, except that he referred to Mike Williams as "Clearly the best player available at 10")2006: C+ (should have been an F)

and so on...

So you can see that draft grades mean nothing. Wait a couple years, then grade the performance of the players.

_________________"Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passions, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence." - John Adams

“The good thing about science is that it's true whether or not you believe in it.” - Neil deGrasse Tyson

May 4th, 2012, 9:16 am

DJ-B

Rookie Player of the Year

Joined: April 5th, 2007, 5:51 pmPosts: 2327

Re: Biggest losers of the 2012 NFL Draft

While after draft grades mean nothing... In reality all grades mean nothing, whether the person has performed or not.. all that matters are team results on the field...there is also no harm in it from a fan perspective as an exercise in getting to know what you can about players that you maybe never looked into predraft (think 4th rd +). What is the harm in it. Doesnt affect anyones pay grade. Doesnt affect the temas opinions of the players they drafted.

If you apply that logic across the board.. why have this forum... why discuss gameplans and suggestions midseason. Coaches dont read it. Nobody really gives a sh!t. we are all just espusing our opinions with others that share a likeminded viewpoint as fans of the sames sports team. If you dont like to do post draft grading dont, but saying anybody is wrong or (insert adjective here) for participating in it makes them no more "wrong" than anybody else who posts on a sports teams forums about any topic other than sharing factual news.

While after draft grades mean nothing... In reality all grades mean nothing, whether the person has performed or not.. all that matters are team results on the field...there is also no harm in it from a fan perspective as an exercise in getting to know what you can about players that you maybe never looked into predraft (think 4th rd +). What is the harm in it. Doesnt affect anyones pay grade. Doesnt affect the temas opinions of the players they drafted.

If you apply that logic across the board.. why have this forum... why discuss gameplans and suggestions midseason. Coaches dont read it. Nobody really gives a sh!t. we are all just espusing our opinions with others that share a likeminded viewpoint as fans of the sames sports team. If you dont like to do post draft grading dont, but saying anybody is wrong or (insert adjective here) for participating in it makes them no more "wrong" than anybody else who posts on a sports teams forums about any topic other than sharing factual news.

I wasn't saying it was wrong to do it or participate in it. My point was that the grades should be taken with a grain of salt. Just as anyone's opinion on this message board should be taken the same way. I in no way meant to imply that people shouldn't be able to express whatever opinion they have. I was just providing some context of how things have played out in the past as a way to keep things in perspective.

_________________"Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passions, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence." - John Adams

“The good thing about science is that it's true whether or not you believe in it.” - Neil deGrasse Tyson

May 4th, 2012, 11:49 am

DJ-B

Rookie Player of the Year

Joined: April 5th, 2007, 5:51 pmPosts: 2327

Re: Biggest losers of the 2012 NFL Draft

Oh fully agreed TDk, and my comment wasnt directed at you directly.

I just noticed that there were 5-6+ ppl who all basically posted the same "Posting Grades right after the drafct is pointless, and the smart people wait 3 years" type of stuff (not direct words, and most of it was in the form of cutting an article from PFW/etc) and My comment was, why even post that stuff. If you dont like draft day grade threads/discussion, dont click into them, read them, and then post how it was silly for someone else to post their opinion on it because we wont really know for years. We all already know that. <3

May 4th, 2012, 2:50 pm

njroar

Player of the Year - Offense

Joined: September 25th, 2007, 3:20 amPosts: 2841

Re: Biggest losers of the 2012 NFL Draft

It was directed to me, and I'm fine with it. As a journalist, I understand the media analysts need something to do to continue to get paid. I was just pointing out that if you look back, a lot of questionable picks that got lambasted by the media are due to them not even being close to the same page as the teams themselves. We got praised for drafting Fairley at a position of strength last year, yet these analysts lambast San Fran for doing the same thing in the 2nd this year.

When the media is the people who rank players, then grade teams based on the media rankings, its completely misleading. Think of it like the Oscars. How many movies that won best picture of the year, actually sucked, while the most popular films are never nominated? Its a disconnect. I'm all for people doing it, but I get a big laugh out of the entire process.

It was directed to me, and I'm fine with it. As a journalist, I understand the media analysts need something to do to continue to get paid. I was just pointing out that if you look back, a lot of questionable picks that got lambasted by the media are due to them not even being close to the same page as the teams themselves. We got praised for drafting Fairley at a position of strength last year, yet these analysts lambast San Fran for doing the same thing in the 2nd this year.

When the media is the people who rank players, then grade teams based on the media rankings, its completely misleading. Think of it like the Oscars. How many movies that won best picture of the year, actually sucked, while the most popular films are never nominated? Its a disconnect. I'm all for people doing it, but I get a big laugh out of the entire process.

In all "Fair"ness, Fairely was undeniably the BPA when we picked him.

May 4th, 2012, 4:58 pm

DJ-B

Rookie Player of the Year

Joined: April 5th, 2007, 5:51 pmPosts: 2327

Re: Biggest losers of the 2012 NFL Draft

njroar wrote:

It was directed to me, and I'm fine with it. As a journalist, I understand the media analysts need something to do to continue to get paid. I was just pointing out that if you look back, a lot of questionable picks that got lambasted by the media are due to them not even being close to the same page as the teams themselves. We got praised for drafting Fairley at a position of strength last year, yet these analysts lambast San Fran for doing the same thing in the 2nd this year.

When the media is the people who rank players, then grade teams based on the media rankings, its completely misleading. Think of it like the Oscars. How many movies that won best picture of the year, actually sucked, while the most popular films are never nominated? Its a disconnect. I'm all for people doing it, but I get a big laugh out of the entire process.

Completely agree with your post. Its a circular media hype machine, and nobody ever really grades the graders so they get away with being horribly wrong most of the time and not being called on it. I truly meant it when i said it wasnt directed at anyone specific, as it was a thought i had running in my head after many posts by multiple different people including the PFW stuff and the like, and i finally just posted it. the whole thing is a laughable prospect but plenty of people do laughable things daily.. if it entertains them and harms noone else, no biggie.

May 4th, 2012, 9:15 pm

m2karateman

RIP Killer

Joined: October 20th, 2004, 4:16 pmPosts: 10066Location: Where ever I'm at now

Re: Biggest losers of the 2012 NFL Draft

Mock drafts, grading drafts, grading free agency signings.....it's all done to fill in time between events in the NFL. After the Super Bowl we all eagerly await the Combines. Then we start writing/reading mock drafts while the Pro Days take place. Then we watch free agency unfold and what big signings are done. We start grading teams for who they lost and who they gained. We start mocking players to those teams based on needs, and perceived values of the players on the board. Draft is completed.

Now what?

We grade the drafts. Regardless of how "realistic" the grades are, it's something that's done to keep the readers and fans interested in the corporate machine that is the NFL. To argue over the writings is silly. To denounce them is even sillier. Writers write. And they need to write about something during the dark period of the NFL after the draft and before the start of pre-season.

_________________I will not put on blinders when it comes to our QBs performances.